A documentary project of Living Venice e VIVA

The Regata delle Palme is an annual event normally held the week before Easter. However, for the first time the field will be comprised of nine gondole, each with an all-female crew. The indominable Gloria Rogliani, una grande campionessa, came up with the idea to combine two campionesse (in bold below) with two esordienti (debutantes, for lack of a better translation), or those with less experience — although even their expertise levels vary widely.

There’s a pre-race ceremony that will take place, at the Ponte di Tre Archi on the Cannaregio Canal. The boats will then head for the starting line at the Madonna dell’Orto (or where the wind direction dictates), for an 11:30-ish start. After the race, the colorful gondole will parade down the Cannaregio Canal.

10:45-ish Ceremony and benediction, Ponte dei Tre Archi

11:30-ish Race start

Following: parade down the Cannaregio Canal.

A regata is normally comprised of up to nine boats; each boat number always corresponds to the same color. We’ll be wearing matching t-shirts: